Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals / Image: Zuma Press

Chad’s Twitter (of course) response was:

“Damn NFL and these rules, I am going by my own set of rules, I ain’t hurting nobody or getting in trouble, I am putting my foot down!!”

Chad is forgetting who he’s dealing with. I don’t see the NFL lightening up on this one. The LPGA actually encourages their players to tweet during a competitive round of golf but it isn’t going to happen in the NFL. Nevertheless, Chad might be able to find a loophole in the verbiage. We’ll see what his next move is.

Source: Twitter.com/OGOchoCinco

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Chad Ochocinco: ‘Damn NFL and These Rules’

Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals / Image: Zuma Press

Well, it’s a new season and the league has agreed to let Chad wear his new name on the back of his jersey. But it will read “Ochocinco” because that’s precisely how Chad submitted it on his name-change form. So Chad really screwed this up. If he wanted to be known as Chad Ocho Cinco (and please be aware his motive is just plain stupid in the first place), he should have filed the name change that way.

Source: NFL.com

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Chad Johnson is Now Chad Ochocinco

Cincinnati Bengals / Image: Zuma Press

A lot of teams would consider this type of coverage more of a distraction than anything else, but Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis isn’t one of them:

“I think our football team is beyond that point. I think we’ve got a mature group of guys that are fighting for jobs. They won’t notice the cameras. We know there will be special things that guys will be a part of; I think that way we’re mature enough. Steve (Sabol, NFL Films) has approached me before and we didn’t come to the same conclusion. This time I did because I think we’re in a different step in the team’s maturity and where we are. I think it’s great for our fans. I felt like we could handle this.”

I love this show. It’s easily my favorite reality series and it typically offers a very unique look inside an NFL organization. As a fan of the league, you’ve got to love that. You get to know a handful of the players quite well and it’s usually very compelling from week-to-week. Hard Knocks launched with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001 (still the best season to-date), followed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2002. After an unexplained five-year layoff, the series resumed in 2007 with the Kansas City Chiefs (blah) and the 2008 edition, which received a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Post Produced Audio/Sound, featured the Cowboys for the second time.

I have to think the Bengals were way down on the list of teams HBO and NFL Films wanted to see on the Hard Knocks series. I mean, the Bengals are coming off a 4-11-1 season and I have little reason to believe they will be much better in 2009. I’m so discouraged by the choice, I wonder if we’ll see another season of Hard Knocks after this one? The reason is I’m not sure there will be any teams willing to allow this kind of insider coverage anymore. I hope I’m wrong, but by choosing the Cincinnati Bengals as their featured team, I think NFL Films is sending a bleak message: We couldn’t get anyone else to do it!

Nevertheless, I’ll be watching. Receiver Chad Johnson Ochocinco will keep things interesting and should be worth the price of admission alone. And it will be intriguing to see Dhani Jones back in his natural environment after observing him in his “world traveler” role on The Travel Channel’s Dhani Tackles the Globe. But the Bengals aren’t even close to having the cast of characters the Dallas Cowboys showcased last year. Not that the show needs that, but I’m wondering how entertaining the Cincinnati Bengals will be.

Source: Bengals.com

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Bengals Land HBO ‘Hard Knocks’ Series

That’s what ESPN’s Michael Smith was saying on NFL Live today:

“I am hearing there is interest in Chad Johnson. Now there’s been some back and forth as to whether or not he is officially on the market. I think everybody in Cincinnati has signed off on moving Chad except for owner Mike Brown. The Eagles could be in the picture. They have two first-round picks. They need a receiver.”

Who doesn’t need a receiver? This is all speculation and hearsay at this point. Nothing official has come out of Cincinnati saying that Chad is “on the market.” And Chad, as I already mentioned, hasn’t said a word. But maybe if he continues to be on his best behavior, he might just get his wish — albeit a year later — to find employment with another team.

Sometimes I think the Bengals would be better off without him, much like the Cowboys should be better off without Terrell Owens. Both are very good receivers so that doesn’t seem to make sense on paper. But as far as team chemistry is concerned, it was a good move for Dallas to cut ties with T.O. And it would be a good idea for the Bengals to cut the cord with Chad. A fresh start is just what he needs and the Bengals, in turn, can go about their business of finding players that embrace the team-first concept.

Source: Philly.com, Photo: Newscom

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Will the Bengals Trade Chad Johnson?

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

It didn’t take long for the Cincinnati Bengals to replace T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Today, they added former N.Y. Jets receiver Laveranues Coles to their roster with a four-year, $28 million contract. Although I really can’t understand why anyone would want to play for the Bengals, Laveranues was genuinely excited to be with the team, who released this statement from LC:

“The Bengals were very aggressive right from the start in talking to us, and when a team makes you feel really wanted, that’s a factor you’re not going to ignore. They said, ‘Let’s get this worked out,’ and we did. I’m excited. I’m coming off a pretty good year, but I know I can do better. Anytime you come into a situation with a quarterback like Carson Palmer, you’re going to think you can bump up those numbers a little more.”

Laveranues has been around. He’s definitely in the latter stages of his NFL career. In fact, this will be his 10th season. But I think he’s got 50-75 receptions in him this year playing alongside Chad Johnson and catching passes from Carson Palmer. The Bengals are supposedly going to make a stronger commitment to the running game this season, but Laveranues gives them the solid #2 receiver they’ve been used to with T.J. Houshmandzadeh. He’s not Housh, but he’ll do his job and do it well.

Source: Bengals.com, Photo: Newscom

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Bengals Sign Laveranues Coles

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ocho Cinco Johnson — so full of love and kissing his coach and quarterback just a few short weeks ago — has been deactivated for tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers for breaking an “unspecified” team rule. Well, let’s specify. Apparently, during a team meeting last night, Chad was a little sleepy and was slumped down in his chair like a college freshman who had been out too late the night before. Bengals offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski told him to sit up. Chad kept refusing until finally he just got up and left. Head coach Marvin Lewis went after him, the two exchanged heated words, and coach told Chad to go home.

Chad’s behavior is asinine. On one hand, as I’ve said many times before, he’s supremely talented on the football field (even so, he thinks he’s better than he really is). But he’s also the epitome of an NFL diva. He’s a crybaby. He’s immature. And the Bengals would be a lot better off without him.

Source: FoxSports.com

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Chad Johnson Deactivated

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

A few weeks ago, Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco promised to kiss the star at Texas Stadium if he scored a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. He didn’t do either. But he made up for it today by scoring two touchdowns in a 21-19 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He then kissed head coach Marvin Lewis (as seen in this footage) and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. He was also blowing kisses to the Bengals faithful. Why not? It was Cincinnati’s first win. But, as luck would have it, Chad and the Bengals get that loving feeling back right before a bye week. So much for momentum?

Source: NFL.com

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Chad Johnson Loves The Bengals

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Brett Favre’s N.Y. Jets jersey is the hottest selling NFL jersey right now. Here’s how the rest of the top ten shake out. These are the top-selling jerseys on NFLShop.com from April 1-Oct. 15, 2008:

1. Brett Favre, New York Jets
2. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys
3. Eli Manning, New York Giants
4. Marion Barber, Dallas Cowboys
5. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
6. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
7. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
8. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
9. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
10. Terrell Owens, Dallas Cowboys

The only surprise on the list was Jason Witten. I didn’t see him as being that popular. And where is Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco? Or Reggie Bush?

Source: CNBC.com, Photo: Newscom

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Top Ten Best-Selling NFL Jerseys

Two receivers who want to play for the Dallas Cowboys will be on the opposing sideline tomorrow when the Cowboys host the Cincinnati Bengals. Chris Henry was added to the active roster today after serving a four-game suspension. He is eligible to play for the first time this season. And Chad Ocho Cinco Johnson, who spent most of his offseason blabbing about how he wanted to play for anyone except the Bengals (but especially the Cowboys), will get his chance to run around on the Texas Stadium turf. He even said he was going to kiss the star in the middle of the field:

“If I score Sunday, I love Dallas so much, I’m going to take my helmet off, get a fine and kiss the star ….. OK, when I score, I’m going to take my helmet off and kiss the star. Can I do that?”

I don’t know, can you? It’s certainly not a given. After four games, he only has 11 catches for 116 yards and one touchdown. The antics of Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco and Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens will probably be enough to satisfy the price of admission. But you also have a possible matchup between oft-troubled Dallas DB Adam Jones and the aforementioned oft-troubled Chris Henry (who used to be oft-troubled teammates at WVU). It should be an interesting day. I doubt it will be much of a game. But fun to watch.

Source: Bengals.com, Dallas Morning News

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Cincinnati Bengals Activate Chris Henry, Ocho Cinco Plans to ‘Kiss the Star’ in Dallas

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

It looks like Chad Johnson Ocho Cinco will need to come up with about a half million dollars to put his new legal surname on the back of his uniform. Because of the NFL’s contractual agreement with Reebok, Chad would have to pay the production costs for the unsold inventory of “C. Johnson” jerseys. According to Bengals.com writer Geoff Hobson, that would amount to roughly $500,000. I guess we’ll see how important this little stunt is to Chad.

I couldn’t be more amused by the situation. Chad thought he was pulling a fast one on the Bengals by essentially annoying them and causing them a lot of grief. I figured he would have his subtle ways of getting back at the team for not trading him. As it turns out, he just might have caused himself more trouble than it might be worth. Until he comes up with the half-a-mill, he’s still going to be Chad Johnson on the football field.

Source: Bengals.com, Photo: Newscom

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Name Change Will Cost Ocho Cinco